Although veterinary authorities aim to limit persistence of classical swine fever (CSF) in wild boar (Sus scrofa), to avoid potential transmission to pigs, factors influencing CSF transmission and persistence are not clearly understood. Here we analyse incidence and persistence in a CSF epidemic that occurred in the French Vosges Forest. Higher incidence was found in large forests compared to smaller isolated ones, being highest near the starting point of the epidemic, but poorly related to the local density. We hypothesize that the spatial and social structure of wild boar populations may be responsible for this variability of incidence over space. Persistence was highest near the starting point of the epidemic and where initial density was highest. We hypothesize that persistence was favoured by the abundance of young wild boar, itself encouraged by CSF. Our results allow us to propose management measures aimed at limiting CSF persistence.

The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the effects of the presence of the IL-1RA gene polymorphism and H. pylori infection on markers of a systemic inflammatory response taking into account virulence markers of this infection. Serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumour-necrosis factor (TNF)-α of 479 occasional blood donors were not statistically significantly higher in subjects having antibodies against H. pylori, or more specifically against CagA and VacA, and being homozygous for the pro-inflammatory IL-1RN*2 allele compared to others after adjustment for covariates. The findings suggest that the possible pro-inflammatory effect of the IL-1RN*2 allele in combination with H. pylori infection is limited to the mucosal level.

Epidemiol. Infect. 133 (2005), 217–227

N. WEIS, L. BERTHELSEN, H. WACHMANN, AND I. LIND

The meningococcal antibody test: how useful in the diagnosis of meningococcal disease?

During the correction of this article an error was introduced into the Summary. In the first sentence, the number of blood samples received was incorrectly given as 92537. The correct number of samples is 9257. The error does not affect the results or conclusions presented elsewhere in the article.

We apologize to the authors and readers for this error.